Hi. About my damp problem, I bought the van privately so I can't do anything about it. When I bought the van I noticed the herzim strip was loose on both sides of the van, on the bottom slope above the cab. At that time the person who came with me to look at the van said it would be ok. It wasn't until later he told me that the water could get in and run around the threads in the screws and enter the van. In my opinion he told me this too late. Unfortunate for me. I have had another look where the damp is. I was standing in the van facing the front, looking accross the over head cab. In the front left corner on the bottom is a small hole where I was able to get my finger in. I could feel the timber inside and it was soaking wet. When I removed my finger I had tiny bits of brown wood on my finger. Does this mean that the timber is rotten. If so this must have been like this for a long time. The right side bottom front corner has no small hole so I have not tried there yet. Do you think I will need to strip the inside above cab to rectify this problem. Thank you very much for any help you can give. Derek

Post last edited on 05/01/2014 22:35:36

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There is sealant under the screws, as the sealant breaks down with age the water gets in. To reseal you would need to unscrew the ali strip, seal behind & screw back on. Obviously if the wood it screws into is rotten then the inside panels need to be removed & wood replaced.

So do that & do a proper repair or bodge it by resealing exterior using PU sealant such as Sikaflex 512, don't use household silicone sealant, its not up to the job. Once you have stopped the water coming in then the interior should eventually dry out.

It depends on the state of the rest of the van whether it is worth taking time to do extensive repairs or just bodge it so you can use it.

Hi Jack and Jon.
Thank you for your helpful reply, I have checked the rest of the van for damp and it is OK. The over head cab bed front bottom left and right corners have high readings of damp, but if I move just three inches away from the corners there is no damp reading. Can you tell me if the timber in each corner runs from the bottom of the over head cab bed to the top of the van.
Than you very much
Derek.

One thing you haven't said is the make of the van. If British get in touch with the builders for advice.
If continental speak to the importers.
It sounds to me like a lot of work needed, noit for the fainthearted. Get professionl advice